Shutdown Corner

Bills QB Kevin Kolb says he’s there ‘to win a Super Bowl’

Kevin Kolb officially joined the Buffalo Bills on Monday, signing a two-year contract and stating that he's in western New York to win a Super Bowl.

"I am here to win a Super Bowl. Period," Kolb said during his introductory press conference. "There are very limited opportunities in this league. I have been lucky enough to have a few of them. Hopefully have another one here and plan on taking 100 percent care of that and making sure I do my part to play at the highest level."

Kolb joins the Bills, who haven't made the playoffs since 1999, after the previous two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. Kolb's stint in Arizona will likely be remembered more for his earnings ($20.5 million) and price to acquire (2012 second-round pick, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie) than his on-field performance. Kolb completed 58.5 percent of 436 pass attempts for 3,124 yards with 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, missing 17 games due to various injuries.

On Monday, Kolb addressed his injury history.

"Well honestly I think a lot of it is luck or fluky, but if it ever does happen again you still want to say, ‘I did everything I could possible to make sure'," said Kolb. "So eating right, working right, 100 percent consistency off the field and being disciplined with certain habits. All of that comes full circle whenever you have been injured a couple times in a row. I am just going to cover all of my bases. You cannot help it if you go out there and break four ribs. We all know how that turned out. I am just going to make sure I do everything in my power to make sure I do everything I can."

The Cardinals released Kolb to avoid paying a $2 million roster bonus on March 16. The quarterback was scheduled to earn $9 million in base salary and had a $500,000 workout bonus, which would have brought his 2013 cash compensation to $11.5 million. Kolb said that stuff "behind the scenes" were behind his release, which didn't catch him totally by surprise.

"Without going into too much detail, I was not totally shocked when it happened because I’m an always plan for the worst and expect the best kind of guy," Kolb said. "That is how we all should handle things, but there was a bit of surprise there when it happened. Even though a lot of arrows pointed in that direction. There were certain things being said that I tried to believe, but at the same time I tried to cover all my bases as well. That is about the best way to put it."

According to a source with knowledge of Kolb's two-year deal with the Bills, the quarterback is scheduled to earn $3 million in 2013.

Kolb received a $1 million signing bonus, which is the only portion of the contract that is guaranteed. Kolb is scheduled to earn $1.65 million in base salary, a $250,000 roster bonus and has a $100,000 workout bonus. Kolb's first-year cap hit is $2.5 million, slightly higher than the $2.25 million cap hit of Tarvaris Jackson, who will be competing with Kolb for the starting job.

In 2014, Kolb is scheduled to earn $2 million in base salary with a $1 million roster bonus and $100,000 workout bonus. Though Kolb can earn an escalator to his 2014 salary, the base value of his contract with the Bills is $6.1 million.